Visiting the girls Nov 08

The end of November we visited the girls to spend an early Christmas with them. Our first Christmas together!!! It was wonderful! Believe it or not we even made a ginger bread house in the confines of our hotel. They were thrilled with it and loved eating it. We spent Wed. all day at the orphanage. I got to spy on them while they were attending school and Heath ran errands with one of orphanage drivers. He loves any chance he gets to drive around and see the sights of Port A Prince. On Thursday Heath had the privilege of helping deliver supplies to the mountains with a group from Christian Aid Ministries. Simeon and Melanie Shankster, Ethan Wagner, and Clayton Brubaker are all on short term missions for 3-6 mo. to rebuild houses the hurricane destroyed last fall. So Heath got to see the damage first hand. On our free days the girls were in the pool nonstop they love it! Saturday night we had a pizza party with the group from C.A.M. and Bethany Brubaker who is just finishing up her year commitment. She is serving at Blue Ridge another mission there in Port A Prince. We are always so excited to see our "Haitian" friends from home. They each took a turn saying a blessing over us as a family. It was wonderful to be surrounded by those who love and whole heartily obey the Lord. We were so thankful for each one of them and their kind words and petition to God on our family's behalf. To be prayed for is such a gift. On Sun. we went to church and spent the rest of the day at the orphanage. It was a wonderful trip and it gets harder to leave every time.

3.4 LBS. found in the trash with rat bites
on her arms and legs.





Videline holding Wood, Jody and Shaun's son


Sweet Baby Thomas

Ben the little boy that Betsy transported back in May

The girls did Simeons hair for him!


















We built a ginger bread house with the girls. They loved eating the candy off of it all week.




Swimming Time!!




This is School for the young ones at the Orphanage













Singing Jesus Loves me

Lamine Comes to stay with us!

After transporting children for Children's Medical Missions Heath and I decided to volunteer to host a child in our home. We were accepted into the program and our first child arrived September 13th. His name is Lamine Traore he is 6 yrs old and will be seven in January. He is a JOY! His home is in Africa more specifically Cote D' Ivoire (the Ivory Coast). He lives in the Ghetto area of a large city along the coast called Abidjan. He speaks a tribal dialect of French and not a word of English. He was born with a deformed bowl and when operated on in Africa received a damaged urethra. Both will be repaired and working in the States. Cincinnati Children's is donating all of his care.

I flew to New York and met him and his transporter and that was the start of our adventure. thankfully where God guides he provides and he definitely has!! I can honestly say there has never been a moment he has left us hanging even through the colostomy bags he has equipped us in every aspect. It has been so fun to watch Lamine experience the U.S. We laugh and say he reminds us of Curious George. The first big thing was the light switch on and off, on and off......
Then the running water for his bath. He loves riding in and pretending to drive our cars. the food not so exciting we are still working on that. He finally has quit eating the entire box of rice. He has realized the left overs will be waiting in the fridge for when he is hungry again and when the left overs are gone there are several more boxes in the cupboard. Newton Elementary has allowed him to attend kindergarten and he loves it. It has been great to hear him learning and using English. It is amazing how fast they learn things.

He is now thru all of his surgeries and doing great. It is amazing how they just put him back together. He has been a trooper thru it all, very brave. he will possible be going home to his family in February if everything continues to work properly. It will be an adjustment when he leaves but we will be so happy for him and his family. He misses them so much.

Hiding in his hosp. room
from Heath. It would have
worked if he could have
stopped giggling

taking rides

He loves using electric kitchen utensils

If you can't find him he is driving!!!

Helping sticker wallets for picture orders during
the busy Christmas season